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Local News

Return to School Roadmap Details Multiple Plans Districts Must Adopt

On Wednesday, Governor Whitmer signed an Executive Order requiring every school district in Michigan to develop and adopt a plan based on several public health scenarios. Each plan is required to follow details outlined in the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap which was created by the Return to Schools Advisory Council and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education.

The Roadmap details requirements for PPE, hygiene, cleaning, spacing in classrooms, screening for symptoms, and athletics among other things. It is divided up into required, strongly recommended, and recommended practices. Required safety protocols must be implemented by all schools that serve students in grades preK – 12.

Four scenarios were presented in the Roadmap based on which phase of the MI Safe Start Plan a region is in when the Fall 2020 school year starts.

  • Schools open for in-person instruction with minimal required safety protocols (MI Safe Start Phase 6)
  • Schools open for in-person instruction with moderate required safety protocols (MI Safe Start Phase 5).
  • Schools open for in-person instruction with more stringent required safety protocols (MI Safe Start Phase 4).
  • Schools do not open for in-person instruction and instruction is provided remotely (MI Safe Start Phases 1-3).

Schools are not permitted to provide in-person instruction of any kind in their region if they are within Phase 1-3 of the pandemic, and all athletics are suspended. Remote learning would be activated, and technology support would be required for students and teachers. In-person instruction can resume during Phase 4, and most safety protocols are required until a region reaches Phase 5 and strongly recommended until a region reaches Phase 6.

Michigan is currently in Phase 4, which means the state can begin in-person instruction with more stringent safety protocols if nothing changes between now and fall. Protocols include face coverings for all staff and students (except during meals), access to supplies and encouragement of proper to hygiene, screening students & staff for COVID-19 under cooperation with the local health department (along with responding to positive results), prohibiting indoor assemblies, and other requirements for transportation, athletics, and protecting medically vulnerable students and staff.

$256 million in new funding is being provided to implement school safety measures.

You can read the full MI Safe Schools Roadmap <HERE>

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

 

Sarnia Launches Community Improvement Plan

Sarnia, ON — The city of Sarnia is looking for community help in reviewing and updating its Community Improvement Plans. The goals of the project are affordable housing, neighborhood and downtown revitalization, and public space improvements.

The plan will help target public investments to spur private investment. The investments are intended to enhance the quality of the public realm while creating a focus for community activities. There are opportunities for addressing beautification along the waterfront along with identifying changes needed pertaining to land use, zoning, and other policies.

The three commercial areas that the Plan will focus on are Downtown Sarnia, Mitton Village, and Northgate. There is a schedule of events that involve the public, kicking off on July 7th with a public engagement program. Residents, business owners, community groups, and others are invited to sign up for the program.

The website SpeakUpSarnia.ca has more information. The project is being led by Eric Hyatt, Planner with the City of Sarnia and The Planning Partnership/MDB Insight.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Canada Announces Grants for Student Volunteers

Sarnia, ON — As nonprofits experience an increased demand for their services, many high school grads and college students are finding themselves out of work. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responded to the situation by launching the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG).

The grant supports post-secondary students and recent grads aged 30 or under who volunteer to serve their communities’ COVID-19 response and gain valuable job training experience at the same time. The CSSG will provide these volunteers with a one-time payment of between $1,000 and $5,000 based on the number of hours they serve.

The Canadian government set up a website to connect students with service opportunities in their communities. The “I Want to Help” website (found <HERE>) includes information about becoming a volunteer and searching for nearby opportunities. It also has a space for charities and nonprofits to register with the platform and recruit volunteers.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

State Budget Deal Reached with CARES Act Help for Schools

Port Huron, MI — A bipartisan budget agreement has been reached for the state of Michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, along with Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield, both Republicans, released a statement saying that the COVID-19 impact on the budget is significant and that the new budget prioritizes funding for “Michigan families, schools, and communities grappling with costs incurred as a result of the virus.”

There are significant reductions in funding from the previous year, but there is also CARES Act funding for education and local governments. $915 million from the CARES Act has been allocated for schools, hazard pay for teachers, universities and community colleges, and to local governments to combat increased costs from COVID-19. There is also a strategy to solve the $2.2 billion projected deficit.

In a joint statement, the leaders pledged to put politics aside, saying, “Our collective priority is a healthy state and a healthy economy. We are committed to working together to address the remaining shortfalls in next year’s budget, and we are looking to our partners in Congress for support to help maintain the essential services relied upon by our families and small businesses.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Legislature Approves Bill Allowing Farmers to Grow Hemp

Lansing, MI — Last week, the Michigan Legislature passed a bill sponsored by Republican Senator Dan Lauwers that would allow farmers in the state to grow hemp for commercial purposes. Senate Bill 850 would create the Industrial Hemp Growers Act and establish a state-operated program for industrial hemp.

“Hemp is best known for CBD oil, but also produces fibers used in fabrics, textiles, yarns, paper, home furnishings and a number of other objects,” said Lauwers, R-Brockway Township. “While it is a variety of the the same plant species as marijuana, it contains almost none of marijuana’s psychoactive component, THC, and has long been cultivated for non-drug use. Michigan farmers will benefit greatly from being able to grow hemp.”

With the passage of the 2018 federal Farm Bill, industrial hemp became legal under United States Department of Agriculture oversight.

While the USDA worked to create rules for industrial hemp, states were allowed to use the authority granted under the 2014 Farm Bill to create pilot programs. Michigan passed a law in 2018 to allow the commercial farming and processing of industrial hemp under a licensing and registration program for hemp growers and processors.

“Michigan’s pilot program for industrial hemp has been a great success,” Lauwers said. “There is increasing interest in this crop in a wide variety of sectors.”

Walmart Recalls Marketside Bagged Iceberg Salad

Michigan — Out of an abundance of caution, Walmart is recalling bags of Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad for possible cyclospora contamination. There have been no reports of illness, but Walmart is asking that affected products be discarded immediately and not consumed.

The recall affect all product codes of Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad sold in 12 and 24-ounce packages with best-if-used-by-dates of May 19th – July 4th which were distributed in stores in Michigan between June 1st & June 21st.

Details from recalled products are:

  • Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad: 12-ounce, UPC Code 6 81131 32894 4
  • Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad: 24-ounce, UPC Code 6 81131 32895 1
  • Best-If-Used-By-Date: May 19 through July 04

Walmart is removing recalled products from store shelves and inventory, and customers can call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at 1-800-242-5272 with questions or to obtain refunds.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand